The Mystery of Carnation
by Owl Watcher
Summary: Arthur finds two girls running away from killer hounds in the forest. The girl Carnation's strange behavior suggests that she is more than just a simple peasant. Merlin pries deeper into her mystery; rated T just in case
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: It's a fan fiction. Of course Merlin isn't mine. 'Tis the property of BBC. **

_Chapter 1_

The howls grew louder as the hounds drew nearer. The scent of their prey was still strong, even in the pouring rain. The girls they pursued left a distinctive trail as they dashed through the forest, snapping twigs and breaking tree branches in their clumsy rush to escape. The hounds sensed them weakening, and they hurried their pace, eager to receive a reward from their master for a successful hunt.

With a howl, one of the hounds leapt onto the smaller girl, digging into her back with its sharp claws. The girl screamed in pain and tried to shake the dog off, but it was too heavy. The other girl leapt onto the hound's back and pulled it off of her friend, and the two fell back into the mud.

"Run, Mara!" the girl yelled as she wrestled with the hound's snapping jaws. The smaller girl did as she was told, disappearing in the rain and the trees. Her friend threw the hound off, and she scrambled to her feet, the mud beneath her making it difficult to stand. She ran after Mara, the hounds not far behind.

Soon, she came upon an abandoned hut. The thatched roof had many holes, and the walls were beginning to crumble, but the door looked sturdy. Quickly, the girl went inside and blocked the door. She looked around inside for a backup exit. There was a hole in the roof that wasn't too far up, so if the hound broke through, she could escape through that.

The sound of the hounds drew closer, and soon the howls and pounding paws faded into the distance. The girl went limp in relief, leaning up against the wall and panting. Her relief did not last long, however, as shouts approached from the direction the dogs had run.

The girl stood stock still as the sound of hoof beats drew near. She heard voices, far too close for comfort. She jumped as someone tried the door, then they started to hit it. Multiple people were throwing their whole body force against it, and her barricade was beginning to shift. She stood and started to climb for the hole in the roof as the door burst open. Someone grabbed her ankles, and she screamed. She kicked and thrashed, and she soon lost her foothold on the crumpling wall. She fell to the ground, and the man grabbed her wrists. She struggled desperately, trying to free her wrists.

"Sit still, please!" the man said. "I mean you know harm."

The girl stopped thrashing and looked up at him. A flash of lightning crossed the sky, lighting up the man's features. He had blond hair and blue eyes, and he had an air of superiority about him. He was dressed in armor, the picture of a dragon on his shield.

"Camelot," the girl gasped. She looked terrified, shrinking away from the man.

"It's alright," the man said, slowly releasing her wrists. "I'm Prince Arthur. You're safe now."

(LINEBREAK)

Arthur looked down at the girl. Her large green eyes were wide in fright, and her caramel colored hair was tied up in a mangled braid. She was very scrawny, and though her skin was tan from the sun, her face was very pale. She had many scrapes and cuts all over her, and he notices several deep claw scratches in her left side.

"You're safe now," he repeated.

He held out a hand to help her up, but she only cringed away.

"Where's Mara?" she whimpered. "What have you done with her?"

Arthur shook his head. "I don't know of whom you speak. Now you must get up. We need to return to Camelot."

"Sire, go easy on her," a boy said behind Arthur. "She's in shock."

"Don't tell me what to do, Merlin," Arthur snapped. "I know she's in shock, but we do need to get back."

The girl shook her head. "No. Not without Mara. The hounds. They'll take her."

She stood, and Arthur backed up. "I must find her. Thank you for your help, but I must leave now."

"Now hold on!" the boy, Merlin, protested. "You can't go alone, especially with that wound."

"I will do as I wish," the girl said calmly.

"No, I agree with Merlin," Arthur said. "Let us accompany you. We will help you find your friend, then you must come back with us. Our court physician can look after your wounds."

The girl hesitated, then she nodded. "Very well. I thank you."

She followed Arthur and his men from the hut, Once they were outside, Arthur turned to her.

"What is your name?" he asked.

The girl looked at him. "I am best known as Carnation."


	2. Chapter 2

_**Sorry the last one was a little short. I didn't have much time. I'll try to make this one longer.**_

_Chapter 2_

_Arthur POV_

They followed the pack's trail for a long time without finding anything, but Carnation refused to give up. She didn't travel on horseback, but instead she tracked the pack on foot, learning more about their position with every broken twig they came upon. But it was getting late. Arthur was anxious to return to his father, and he could see that Carnation was getting weak from exhaustion and loss of blood. He was about to tell her that it was hopeless when suddenly she stopped. She stood completely still for a moment, then broke into a run. Arthur and his men followed her. Even on horseback, they had a hard time keeping up with her quick pace.

In the distance, Arthur saw several enormous dogs circling a girl close to Carnation's age. They were snapping their jaws ferociously, but they did not attack. The girl was shaking her head furiously, murmuring incoherently to herself.

"Mara!" Carnation shouted.

The hounds turned to her. They hesitated when they saw the prince and his soldiers then began to back away. The men stepped closer, and the dogs ran off, yapping angrily amongst themselves. Mara closed her eyes and collapsed in a heap.

Carnation ran up to her friend and knelt beside her. She put a hand on her back, and when she took it off, her palm was red with blood. At a gesture from Arthur, Merlin helped Carnation get Mara onto a horse. Merlin let Carnation have his horse, and they began to ride for Camelot. By the time they reached the great city, Carnation was also unconscious. Merlin and several soldiers helped to carry the two up to Gaius' chambers, Arthur leading the way.

"Ah, good afternoon, sire," Gaius said as the prince entered. "How may I-"

He stopped as the rest entered. "Ah. I see. Put one over there"-He gestured at his bed- "and the other in Merlin's room."

When it was done, Arthur dismissed the soldiers. He turned to Gaius, who was examining the scratches on Mara's back.

"Will they be alright?" Arthur inquired.

Gaius nodded. "This one will. It's just a flesh wound. The only reason she fainted is from loss of blood…and shock, it would appear."

"They were being chased by the dogs," Merlin said. "The ones we were out to stop."

Gaius began to apply some ointment to Mara's scratches. "Hmm. Were you able to kill them? They certainly have been causing a lot of trouble for Camelot, ruining crops and frightening civilians and all."

"No," Arthur said, disgruntled. "They ran away when we approached."

Gaius handed Merlin the ointment. "Here. You finish this, and I'll check up on her friend."

He left the room, and Merlin began to carefully rub the ointment into the scratches. Arthur watched as he worked, deep in thought.

"I wonder who they are," he said suddenly. "Where they're from. I don't think they're from Albion. Carnation looked surprised when I told her who I was."

Merlin grinned. "More like shock. She was probably expecting someone more intimidating."

Arthur glared at his manservant. "Are you implying that I'm not intimidating?"

Merlin shrugged. "Maybe."

"Merlin!" Gaius shouted from the other room. "I need your help. She's not being very cooperative."

Merlin sighed. "Coming, Gaius."

He put down the ointment and exited the room.

_Merlin POV_

"She won't let me look at her cuts," Gaius said.

Merlin looked over at Carnation. "She's not even conscious!"

"I know that," Gaius said. "But every time I touch the scratches, she swats my hand away. See?"

He tried to wipe some ointment onto her cuts, but Carnation's hand suddenly rose and slapped Gaius'. Gaius huffed in frustration.

"Can you try it?" he asked. "It needs to be put on, or it might get infected."

Merlin took the cleanser and tried to apply it, but he, too, received a stinging slap. He shook his head.

"It's hopeless. We'll have to wake her up."

He started to shake her lightly. "Carnation. Wake up."

Carnation's eyes snapped open. She let out a surprised cry, then calmed.

"Sorry," she murmured.

"It's okay," Merlin said. "Now, we need to put this on your scratches, but you kept stopping us. Do you mind if we-"

"No!"

Carnation sat bolt upright, a hand placed protectively over her side. Merlin took a step back.

"Sorry," he said quickly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to…"

Carnation shook her head. "Don't apologize. Just…let me put it on."

Merlin nodded. "Of course. Uh, Gaius, let's go check up on Mara."

Gaius looked confused. "What? But I need to-" Merlin dragged him out of the room and closed the door.

_Carnation POV_

Carnation let out a sigh of relief. She was grateful that Merlin had been so kind about everything. But of course he would be. He was Emrys. Carnation had known the moment she had seen him. His whole body shimmered with magic, yet the prince was completely unaware. It was because of Merlin that she had agreed to let them come along in the search to find Mara. But now that Mara was found, they must leave. To stay would be the end of everything she and Mara knew. But she mustn't worry about that now. Emrys was there, so they were safe.

Carnation moved one of the rips in her dress to reveal three long, deep scratches running over an exquisite tattoo of a golden dragon. The Great Dragon, Kilgarrah. Carnation stroked the image's head affectionately, distressed that the tattoo had been deformed by the scratches. She gave it one last sad look, then began to apply the ointment.


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter 3_

_Merlin POV_

Merlin walked into Arthur's chambers, balancing his freshly washed clothes in his left hand. Arthur was lying on his bed, toying with his dagger. Merlin began to put the clothes in his master's wardrobe. It had been two days since they had discovered the two girls in the forest.

"So, Carnation and Mara should be out of bed this morning," Merlin said. "Gaius said that their wounds are healed."

"Good," Arthur said. "I'll be able to introduce them to my father, then. I'm hoping to convince him to let them stay a little longer. I'd feel bad just kicking them out the moment they were ready to leave."

Merlin glanced at him, a bit surprised at the prince. "Why? I thought they looked ready to leave the moment they got here. I mean," he added quickly as Arthur glared at him, "definitely try to convince your father to _invite_ them to stay longer. But they might not want to, is all I'm saying."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Whatever, Merlin."

Merlin entered his and Gaius' chambers. Carnation and Mara were sitting at the table eating lunch while Gaius talked to them about their wounds.

"Now, don't be running or climbing any time soon, or they might open up again," the old physician said. "And be sure to apply the ointment every night before you go to bed. It will help heal the skin. And don't scratch them, or the stitches might come out. Ah, hello, Merlin."

Carnation and Mara looked over at him and waved cheerfully. Merlin smiled back and sat down with them.

"How are you today, Merlin?" Carnation asked kindly.

Merlin was surprised. No one ever really asked how he was doing except Gwen and Gaius. "Oh. I'm fine, thank you, Carnation."

"Please, call me Carrie," Carnation said. "I like my friends to call me that."

A knock sounded on the door as Merlin began to eat. Gaius called for them to come in, and Sir Gwaine opened the door.

"Hello, everybody. Afternoon, ladies," he said, bowing to the girls. "Uther requests your presence in the Throne Room. All of you."

"Of course," Gaius said, standing. "Thank you, Gwaine."

Gwaine smiled, nodded, and left. Merlin saw Carnation and Mara exchange a glance, a worried look in their eyes. Gaius, oblivious to their exchange, began to clear away the table. Mara stood and whispered to Merlin.

"May I speak with you a moment?" she asked.

Merlin nodded, a bit confused. He followed Mara into his room, where she shut the door.

"I don't think it's a good idea for Carrie to visit the King," Mara said quickly.

Merlin was surprised. "What do you mean? Does she not like him?"

"No it's not that," Mara said, "though she isn't a fan of Uther. But…it's just…she doesn't bow."

Merlin narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean? Is she proud, or what?"

"Oh, no! Carrie is the humblest person I know. She just doesn't bow to anyone she doesn't think deserves her bow, and Uther…" Mara shrugged helplessly.

Merlin thought for a moment. "Can you think up any excuses as to why she couldn't come?"

Mara shook her head. "No. Carrie wouldn't approve. I didn't know what else to do. I thought that maybe you could convince her to bow to Uther. I know she's very stubborn about this, and she won't listen to me. But could you at least give it a shot?"

"Of course," Merlin said. "I wouldn't want Uther to get mad at her. You never know what he might do."

They rejoined Gaius and Carnation, and Merlin pulled Carnation aside.

"I know what you're going to say, Merlin," Carnation said before Merlin could even open his mouth. "And it won't work. I will not bow to Uther."

Merlin sighed. "C'mon, Carrie. If Uther's in a bad mood today and you don't bow, things might get…messy."

Carnation shook her head. "My mind is made up, Merlin. I only bow to those who deserve that privilege. Uther shall never do anything worthy enough to earn my bow, so stop trying."

Though her words were those of a proud person's, Merlin could find no pride in Carnation as she spoke them. Her voice was so sincere that Merlin could do nothing but give up. He could tell that she would not be shaken.

"Come, Merlin, Carnation," Gaius called from the door.

Merlin and Carnation followed Gaius and Mara to the Throne Room. They were allowed entrance by the guards, and once inside, Merlin and Gaius had to stand off to the side and allow the two friends to continue on their own. As they approached, they were introduced, and Mara curtsied. True to her word, Carnation did not bow. Instead, she nodded politely to the King. A greeting fit for one's equal.

Silence followed Carnation's greeting. Uther and his son both looked shocked, and Merlin braced himself for the broken King's anger. But it never came.

"Father, this is Carnation and Mara, the girls we found in the forest," Arthur said before his father could begin raging. Merlin exhaled in relief.

Uther was silent for a moment, then he smiled at them. "Greetings, ladies. I hope that you are feeling better from your experience in the forest."

"We are, thank you," Carnation said. "We very much appreciate your hospitality, but we can not intrude on your…generosity any more. We shall leave this evening, if pleases you."

Uther was taken aback. "Why, you are not intruding at all. Please, stay a week longer. We cannot just send you packing the moment you are well again."

Carnation shifted. "I do not think that is wise. Thank you for your offer."

"I won't take no for an answer," Uther said jovially. "You must stay with us a week more, at the least."

"Father, you cannot force them to stay here," Arthur murmured to his father. "If they wish to leave you should let them."

"No, Arthur, it is alright," Carnation said suddenly. "I think we could stay a little longer. Two more days, and we will be leaving."

Uther clasped his hands and smiled. "Delightful."

Merlin leaned over to Gaius. "What's with the King? He's…happy."

Gaius averted his gaze guiltily. "I might have slipped a little something into his drink this morning."

"Gaius!" Merlin whispered in astonishment.

"It helps him forget about you-know-who," Gaius whispered back. "I couldn't bear to see him so miserable, so I thought that this might help."

Merlin grinned. "Well, it did. You should give him that every day."

Uther dismissed the meeting, and everyone began to disperse. Arthur gestured to Merlin to follow him as he passed. Merlin said good bye to Gaius, then hurried after Arthur.

"That was strange," Arthur said when they reached his chambers.

"What, how Uther was so happy?" Merlin asked innocently.

Arthur glared at him. "No. That Carnation didn't bow to my father. That she just nodded at him."

"I don't think Carrie meant to be disrespectful, sire," Merlin said. "And I don't think she was being proud, either."

"Then how else would you explain her not-proud-or-disrespectful nod, Merlin?" Arthur snapped.

Merlin shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe you could ask her yourself."

Arthur considered this. "Yes. I think I will."

He left the room, slamming the door slightly behind him.

**Please review! Thanks a lot! -Owl Watcher **


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Okay, I hope this isn't too rushed. Please tell me if you think it's not clear enough. Thank you! Owl Watcher**

_Chapter 4_

_Carnation POV_

Carnation was in the courtyard enjoying the warm summer breeze when Arthur approached her. She smiled and nodded at him.

"Greetings, Arthur," she said amiably. "It's a fine day, is it not?"

"Indeed," Arthur said a little too happily.

Carnation saw that his back was stiff with anger, and his eyes contradicted the joy in his voice. His fists clenched and unclenched, and he wouldn't stand still, constantly shifting from one foot to the other.

"I did not intend to offend you," she said quietly.

Arthur jumped. "What? Who said you offended me?"

Carnation smiled. "No one had to tell me. I can see for myself."

Arthur looked confused, but Carnation swept on before he could deny it.

"I meant no disrespect to you or your father," she said. "Please accept my apology and let us move on."

The prince nodded slowly. "Alright. But will you please tell me why you did not bow?"

Carnation hesitated. "Are you sure you would like to know? You will not like the answer."

"You don't know that," Arthur said.

"Yes, I do," Carnation said.

"I want to know," Arthur insisted.

Carnation looked down. "Very well. I did not bow because I do not bow to anyone unless I truly believe they deserve it."

Arthur was silent for a moment. "You do not respect my father."

"I cannot deny it," Carnation said quietly.

"But-why?" Arthur asked.

Carnation shook her head. "He is not a good man. He has much blood on hands. Too much blood."

Arthur sighed. "I know that he has killed many people. But they practiced magic, so they were evil."

"Perhaps the magic you have seen is evil," Carnation said. "But not all magic is so. I have seen magic do good at the hands of many."

Arthur peered at her suspiciously. "Really?"

Carnation saw his look and shook her head. "I do not live here. My views are bound to be different from yours, especially if I have seen many good people use magic to serve and protect others."

Arthur shook his head. "No. Magic is evil. It is used to kill. It could not be good."

Carnation smiled. "You carry a sword. Is that not used to kill?"

Arthur was startled. "Yes."

"Magic is like a sword," Carnation said. "You do not always choose whether or not to wield it, but if you do, you must choose how you use it. It can be used to kill and destroy. Or, it can be used to serve and protect. Most magic you have seen is wielded by angry magicians who have chosen to use their gifts for evil intent."

Arthur shook his head. "I do not wish to argue with you, Carnation, so I will drop the matter. I want to be friends, despite our different views."

Carnation smiled. "I agree. I have a feeling that you and I will get along very well. Now, I need to find Mara. Good day, Arthur."

_Merlin POV_

Merlin was sharpening Arthur's sword in his bedroom, feeling extremely bored. He peeked out his door. Gaius was out shopping for herbs, and Mara was with Gwen. He was sure that Carnation was out in the courtyard, and he couldn't think of anyone else who would come to see him. He closed the door and opened his spell book. He flipped through it, trying to find something to entertain himself with.

The door suddenly burst open. Merlin jumped and threw his spell book under his pillow.

"Carrie!" he exclaimed. "Ever heard of knocking?"

Carnation looked embarrassed as well as worried. "I'm sorry, Merlin. But do you know where Mara is? I cannot find her anywhere."

"Oh, yeah," Merlin said. "She's with my friend Gwen. She lives close by the castle. I can take you there if you'd like."

Carnation shook her head. "No. That's okay. I was just a little worried about her, is all. I've been a bit paranoid, ever since the forest."

She looked at him curiously. "Are you okay? You seemed frightened when I first came in."

"Huh?" Merlin said. "Oh, no. You just surprised me."

Carnation did not say anything. She just nodded and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Merlin sighed. She knew he was lying. He had seen how observant she was. But how much did she know? Did she know that he had magic? He picked up Arthur's sword and began sharpening again, this time no longer feeling bored.

_Carnation POV_

Carnation dug through the pile of rags sitting in the corner pf Gaius' chambers. Finally, she found what she was looking for: the dress she had worn the day she had been rescued in the forest. She patted it desperately, relieved when she felt the lump inside one of the pouches.

Carnation pulled out the vials from the ragged dress. Inside was a misty brown liquid that looked a lot like mud. She popped the cork off and took a tiny sip. She grimaced as it went down her throat. A shuddered passed through her entire body. She looked at her hands. The affects were already taking place. Her nails became blunt, and the small scales that were starting to grow on her hands and arms shed off. Carnation quickly swept them up and threw them in the pile of rags. No one would find them now.

**AN: Not one of the best chapters I've written. I wasn't exactly prepared for this one. Please review and tell me what you thought. **


	5. Chapter 5

_Chapter 5_

_Merlin POV_

"Merlin! Come here!" Gaius shouted.

Merlin sighed. Could he never get a moment's peace around here? If he wasn't doing something for Arthur, he was doing something for Gaius. If he wasn't doing something for Gaius, he was saving Camelot. All he wanted was a moment to himself.

"Coming, Gaius," he shouted. He put his magic book under his pillow and shuffled into the other room.

Gaius was packing Merlin's bag with several vials of medicines. Merlin groaned. More chores.

"Alright. Who are these for?" he asked.

"This is for Sir Percival," Gaius said, holding up a vial full of a red liquid. "He was complaining about a bad headache earlier. Tell him to drink half of it, then after an hour to finish it. And this is for Martin, the man who sells cheese up by the north end of Camelot. And this is for Tia, the kind old lady who…"

And the list went on and on. Eventually, Gaius stopped talking. By now, Merlin was having an odd feeling. Gaius usually delivered his medicines himself and only asked Merlin to help when there were large amounts. Today's amount was enormous. Merlin hadn't seen Gaius deliver this much since he was selling the fake antidote for a fake disease when he was possessed by the goblin.

"That's a lot," Merlin said slowly.

Gaius nodded. "Yes. It is unusual. That's why I called you over."

Merlin held back a sigh. It looked like a Saving Camelot day.

"I have suspicions that these ails are being caused by magic," Gaius said. "And I have a suspect."

"Oh?" Merlin said, curious. "Who?"

Gaius looked reluctant to say. "I know it seems unlikely, but I think that it may be Carnation."

Merlin laughed, knowing that he musty be joking. Then he saw Gaius' serious face and quickly went solemn.

"You're serious?" he said. "But she seems so nice!"

"I know, Merlin," Gaius said sadly. "But I heard Arthur saying to Gwen that the girl is friendly to magic, and look what I found in the rag pile."

He held up another vial. Inside was several tiny flesh-colored scales. Merlin narrowed his eyes.

"Do you think she's some sort of creature?" Merlin asked.

"I'm not quite sure, but if she is, she doesn't want us to find out," Gaius said. "We need to look deeper into this. Carnation and Mara may be a danger to the people of Camelot or the King."

"And by 'we', I suppose you mean me?" Merlin said wearily.

"Of course, Merlin. I'm far too old to be investigating these sort of things. Of course, you'll have to wait to start until after you've delivered your half of the medicines."

Merlin sighed. "Of course."

…

_Carnation POV_

Carnation waved to Merlin as he approached. Merlin smiled and waved back, but she saw that he was watching her with a wary eye. She pretended not to notice, not wanting to cause any conflict between herself and the one person who could protect her and Mara if…

She shook her head. Best not to think about that.

"Are you alright?" Merlin asked.

"Hmm?" Carnation glanced at him. "Oh. I've just got a lot on my mind. Pay me no heed."

Merlin smiled weakly but did not reply. Carnation began to fear that her friend had found something, something that would cause him to pry.

"Carnation," Merlin began, "I heard that you are sympathetic towards magic."

Carnation remained outwardly calm. "Yes. That is very true."

"Do you…practice it yourself?" Merlin asked.

Carnation's gaze did not harden in the least. "What would make you suggest that?"

Merlin shrugged. "Oh, you know. You are obviously from a kingdom that allows magic to roam free, so, you know. I only naturally assumed that you might possibly practice it yourself."

Carnation decided that now was the time to be completely open. "Merlin, you need to listen to me. Do not get yourself wound into my mess. I must ask you, whatever you found, please forget it. It is for your own safety."

"What do you mean?" Merlin stammered, a bit shocked by her sudden seriousness.

"Do not pretend you don't suspect me of causing trouble," Carnation said quietly. "I can tell that you do not trust me. But you must trust me in this: You must keep out of it."

"But-" Merlin began.

"No," Carnation said firmly. "I promise you, I am not causing trouble." Her voice softened. "Listen. I am just trying to protect you. Please, stay out of this, Emrys."

She stood and walked away, leaving a dumbfounded Merlin standing alone in the courtyard.

…

_Arthur POV_

For once, Merlin wasn't being annoying. Instead, he quietly went about his chores, not complaining in the slightest. Of course, Arthur knew that this meant that something was bothering his servant. If he had been quiet and smiling, Arthur would have suspected that Merlin was taking a liking to one of their visitors. But this was not the case. Merlin was frowning and quiet, his eyes gazing at something far off. Eventually, Arthur could not stand the terrible silence and demanded to know what was on his mind.

"What do you mean?" Merlin asked, not looking up from the boot he was polishing. "Nothing's on my mind. I'm just tired."

He forced a yawn and stretched his arms.

"You're a terrible liar, Merlin," Arthur said. "Besides, I can tell something's upsetting you. Even if you were tired you would still be talking."

"No, I wouldn't be," Merlin denied it. "Not if I'd had a day as busy as today."

Arthur raised his eyebrows. "Oh? And how busy has your day been? Did Gaius have you deliver a couple of vials, I know that's very stressful."

"Shut up, Arthur," Merlin grumbled, scrubbing his master's boots even harder.

"See?" Arthur proclaimed victoriously. "See? You never tell me to shut up unless you're upset. Now tell me what's wrong."

Merlin exhaled sharply. "The only thing that is bugging me is your incessant nagging! Please, let me finish my chores in peace."

Arthur was taken aback. Merlin had sassed him many times in the past, but he had never said anything quite so disrespectful without being al least half joking. He did not trust himself to speak without getting mad, so he simply left the room to find Gwen.

_Merlin POV_

Merlin regretted his outburst the moment he said it, but he was too angry to apologize at the moment. When Arthur stormed out, he felt bad for not apologizing. He wanted to tell him about what was on his mind, but he couldn't without Arthur getting even more angry and having him thrown in the stocks. He sighed. Sometimes he hated being the greatest wizard to ever walk the earth.

He finished his chores and returned to his home. He was about to enter the chambers when he heard something inside them. He peeked through the door, which was cracked open, and saw Carnation grimacing in pain. She was holding a vial full of a muddy liquid that he didn't recognize. Carnation coughed, and something red burst from her mouth. Blood!

Carnation quickly cleaned up the blood and swept something off the floor. Merlin looked closer and saw that they were scales, green this time, and larger than the tiny flesh-colored ones Gaius had found. Carnation looked wildly around, then buried the scales in the bucket that Gaius threw all of his rotting herbs and plants in. She gasped and coughed again, but no blood came up this time. Carnation pocketed the potion and began to head for the door.

Merlin quickly opened the door, causing Carnation to squeal in fright.

"Oh!" she yelped. "Merlin. I didn't hear you. Um, I'm going to find Mara bye!"

She rushed past him, disappearing as she rounded the corner.


	6. Chapter 6

_Chapter 6 _

_Gaius POV_

Carnation was coughing terribly. Gaius had tried several times to persuade her to let him listen to her breathing and find the source of the problem, but she had refused every time. Now, her coughs were getting hoarser and hoarser by the moment, and Gaius thought that he had seen a bit of blood fly from her lips. But she was a stubborn one, and she would have none of Gaius' medications.

_Lancelot POV_

Arthur put his sword tip to Lancelot's chest. "Ha! Do you surrender?"

Lancelot huffed in annoyance. "Yes."

Arthur lowered his sword and embedded the tip in the ground. "Good fight, Lance. Good fight."

"Of course it was a good fight, you won!" Gwaine called from the sidelines. "I'd hate to hear what you had to say if you lost!"

He, Elyan, and Percival laughed, and Arthur smiled faintly. His mind wasn't really on the victory. He was still worried about Merlin, who he had not seen since this morning.

"Gwaine," he said. "You're good friends with Merlin, aren't you?"

"Yes," Gwaine said suspiciously. "Why do you ask?"

"I've been worried about him," Arthur said. "He's been acting strangely. Last night he snapped at me. He got really angry, and he wasn't fooling around."

Gwaine's suspicious look to worry. "So you've noticed too? I wasn't just drunk last night?"

"Oh, I'm sure you were drunk," Elyan snorted.

Gwaine shot him a look and turned back to Arthur. "He seems really distracted, and he's been avoiding your guests. Carnation tried to talk to him when I last saw him, but he made some excuse and ran off."

Arthur frowned. "Perhaps he heard that she was sympathetic towards magic and that frightened him off. You know Merlin, he's easily frightened."

Lancelot shook his head. "No, I don't think that's it."

"Well, what else could it be?" Gwaine asked. "I can't think of anything else to explain his behavior."

Lancelot bit his lip. He knew Merlin's secret, that he could do magic. But he could not mention that.

"I don't think that's the reason he's upset," Lancelot persisted. "Even if it did upset him, it's not like Merlin to react like that. I mean, I've never really heard of him really getting angry before. And besides, when Morgan-um, I mean, when she was found out, he didn't react like that. And those two were good friends, weren't they?"

Arthur nodded slowly. "Yes, I suppose you're right. Maybe he had a fight with Gaius."

"That wouldn't explain why he ran from Carnation," Gwaine said.

Lancelot shrugged. "I avoid people when I'm upset."

"Well, I'm sure he'll be back to normal in no time," Arthur said with forced optimism. But Lancelot could see that he was still worried.

_Merlin POV_

Merlin was looking for Arthur. He needed to apologize for last night. He wished he had said something earlier, but he still hadn't talked to Gaius about what he had seen concerning Carnation and he was feeling down. He felt calmer now, so he trusted himself to speak kindly to Arthur.

He found the prince in his chambers, trying to remove his armor. He was sweating, and he had a frustrated look on his face as he tried to single-handedly untie his gauntlet.

"Arthur!" Merlin exclaimed. "Why didn't you summon me?"

He rushed over and began to assist him with his armor.

"Well, you were in such a bad mood last night and this morning that I thought I'd give you some space," Arthur grumbled.

Merlin went red. "Listen, Arthur, about last night. I didn't mean to get so angry at you, and I had no excuse to behave so disrespectfully."

Arthur said nothing, and for a moment Merlin thought he was going to be angry. But then he smiled and whacked Merlin on the back.

"It's alright, Merlin," he grinned. "You're only human, you're bound to get angry once in a while." He paused. "But…why _were_ you so mad?"

Merlin shrugged. "I guess I'm just really tired. Everyone seems to be sick, and I've got twice as much work to do. I can't seem to find any down time between my work for you and helping out Gaius, and I only got a couple of hours of sleep last night."

"I'm surprised you weren't sleep deprived earlier, Gaius snores so loudly," Arthur snickered. Merlin smiled, then he looked confused.

"Wait, how do you know he snores?" he asked.

"Do you know how many times I've had to spend the night in Gaius' chambers because I was sick?" Arthur asked. "When I was younger, every time I got sick, Father had me sleep in his chambers in case I needed the physician over night. I hardly got a wink of sleep every time."

Merlin laughed, and Arthur smiled. "That's better. Now come on. I'm taking Carnation and Mara on a surprise picnic this afternoon. They've been stuck inside the castle since they came here, and I think they'd like to get out."

Merlin's smile disappeared. "Oh. Do I have to come?"

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Of course. I'll need somebody to serve us all."

"Us…all?"

"Yes. Gwaine and Gwen are coming, too."

…

"What?" Carnation protested. "But we can't-"

She broke off as a fit of coughs overtook her. Thankfully, there was no blood this time.

"Are you alright, Carnation?" Arthur asked worriedly.

She ignored his question. "We can't go on a picnic. What if the dogs come?"

Arthur smiled. "Don't worry. Gwaine and I will protect you. And if you're that worried, we'll bring Lancelot and Elyan as well."

Mara shook her head. "That won't be enough. They'd kill you all within seconds. It was only because you had a small army that they stood down last time."

"Don't worry, you'll be fine," Arthur reassured her. "Besides, they're probably not anywhere near Camelot."

This time, Carnation shook her head. "They are there. They're waiting for us."

Merlin stepped in. "Come on, Arthur. They obviously don't want to go. We should just cancel."

Arthur snorted. "You're just trying to get out of the extra work."

Merlin blushed. "I am not!"

"Please," Carnation pleaded. "We can't go. It's too dangerous."

Merlin thought about this. Carnation seemed completely terrified of these dogs. If she was really a creature of magic, she had nothing to fear. Or maybe these dogs were more powerful than they seemed. Eventually, Carnation and Mara agreed to the picnic. Merlin wondered if he had imagined it, but he thought that they had agreed shortly after they had found out that Merlin was coming.

_Carnation POV_

It was a great risk, going on the picnic. But Emrys was coming, so they would be safe. Well, saf_er_.

They left at noon to a shaded area not far from the castle. Arthur brought Lancelot and Elyan to try and reassure Carnation and Mara of their safety. Mara relaxed quickly, but Carnation, though appearing to be at ease, was constantly on her guard. She knew that even with the great warlock to protect them they were not safe.

"So, you and Mara leave the tomorrow," Gwen said sadly to Carnation. "I'll miss you two. You're great company. I haven't had a civilized conversation with another girl since…"

She trailed off, and Carnation put a hand on Gwen's shoulder.

"It's not shameful to miss Morgana," she said softly. "You were very good friends for a long time."

Gwen looked a little surprised that Carnation had said her old mistress's name, but she did not say anything. She just smiled thankfully at her and nodded.

"Will you miss Camelot?" Gwaine asked Mara.

Mara smiled uncertainly. "I don't know. Maybe. It's been interesting."

"Indeed," Merlin murmured.

Carnation glanced at him. "Merlin. I know there's a nice lake nearby, but I do not know the way. Would you mind showing it to me?"

Merlin looked startled by her request. "Oh. Um. Sure. I suppose."

He lead her to the lake, which was not far from where they were picnicked. When they reached the smooth, shining waters, Merlin sat at the water's edge, his gaze staring blurrily out at the shimmering waves.

"You must miss her very much," Carnation murmured.

Merlin jumped. "How do you know about Freya?"

Carnation looked him in the eye. "I could tell that you were remembering someone, someone very close to you. Mara has that same face, every time she thinks of her brother."

She sighed and looked away. "I know you saw me, Merlin. But once more I will have to warn you to leave it be." She coughed violently, then straightened. "Meddle too much, and you will never be able to back out of it."

"I cannot stand by when a strange creature is causing sickness among my friends," Merlin snapped.

"I am not causing your friends to fall ill."

"You're lying."

"I do not lie. It is against my nature."

Merlin looked at her curiously. "What do you mean?"

Carnation looked at her feet. She should not have said that. "Never mind. Now we must return to the group. I have said what I needed to say. You had best heed my words this time."

She left him and returned to the picnic.


	7. Chapter 7

_Chapter 7 _

_Mara POV_

The picnic went much better that Mara had expected. She did not hear the wolves, and Carnation did not give any signals of warning. Mara actually had a great time talking to the knights and Gwen. For the first time in years, she felt completely relaxed and at ease. She wished she could stay.

Mara shook the thought from her head. It was no use wishing for something she could never have. And she could not have much. She did not regret her choice to come with Carnation, but it did have its downsides, and she had known that going in.

After the picnic, Mara was roaming around the castle. She didn't have much else to do, and she was interested in all the doors and halls. She had never been in a building so large before, in all her life. She knew not to open any doors, just in case she wasn't allowed inside them, but when she came upon a large oaken door, she could not resist peeking inside. As it happened, it was the library. Geoffrey of Monmouth glanced up from his desk as the door opened and smiled at her. Mara stepped inside.

"Hello," Geoffrey said. "Is there anything in particular that you are looking for?"

Mara smiled delightedly. "Oh. Yes. There was this one book that I've always been interested in reading…"

…

Mara walked happily back to Gaius' chambers, the book tucked under her arm. She and Carnation had turned down a guest room and stayed with the old physician. They had not seen the purpose of causing so much trouble to prepare them a room when they would only be staying for a couple more days. She was almost there when she came upon Arthur.

"Hello, Mara," Arthur greeted her. "I never got to ask you before, did you enjoy yourself at the picnic?"

Mara nodded. "Oh, yes. It was the most relaxed I've been in years."

Arthur's smile wavered. "Oh. You must not have had a relaxing childhood."

Mara was confused. "No, my childhood was wonderful. It's just been since-" She caught herself. "I mean, I'm older than I look." Much older.

"Well, you can't be much older than twenty," Arthur said.

Mara smiled. She had looked twenty for longer than she could remember. But she did not say that. She decided that this conversation was heading towards thin ice, so she quickly changed the subject.

"I was just getting back from the library," she said. "Geoffrey is very kind. He helped me find this book that I've always wanted to read."

"Which book did you take?" Arthur asked, and Mara showed him. Arthur raised his eyebrows. "Okay. I personally could never read that. Much too dry."

Mara shook her head. "No. It's absolutely wonderful. Or so I've heard. Very informative and educational."

Arthur laughed, then stopped when he saw something or someone over her shoulder. Mara turned around and saw Uther walking towards them. Her breath caught in her throat, and she began to hyperventilate. She had never planned being in the same area _alone_ with both the King and the prince. What was she going to do?

She turned back to Arthur. "Um, I should be getting back to Carrie, she said that she wasn't feeling very well. Good day."

She curtsied quickly and hurried off. Arthur called after her, but she did not stop. She may have even sped up her pace.

_Merlin POV_

The moment he got back, Merlin ran to Gaius and told him everything. The potion, how she knew who he was, and how she claimed that she did not lie. Gaius' reaction was not exactly what Merlin had expected. He seemed shocked, but not in the was Merlin was expecting.

"You say that she could not lie, and that she was taking a potion to change her form?" he repeated.

Merlin resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "That's what I said."

Gaius frowned. "Well, this explains a lot."

"Does it?" Merlin said, surprised.

"Yes," Gaius murmured. "I think I know what she is. Especially since you mentioned that potion. But what would one be doing here?"

Merlin made an exasperated sound. "Will you please just tell me?"

"It's very unlikely, but…I think that our guests are Dragon Sisters."

"Dragon _whats_?" Merlin asked.

"Dragon Sisters," Gaius repeated. "They were thought to have died out centuries ago, so they are not well known. They are humanoid creatures, with a scaly human body and a dragon tail. Some say that they had a catlike face as well. They train themselves to read people, and they can figure out all your secrets just by looking at you. They treat everyone as equals, no one higher or lower than themselves, and they only bow to those that they respect. They cannot lie, but no one knows why. And they have a human form that they can only stay in for three days."

"So what's with the potion?" Merlin inquired.

"I believe that it is used to prolong their human transformation," Gaius answered. "But it is not safe to use. That is probably why Carnation has been so sick. The potion is messing with her respiratory system. If she doesn't stop taking it soon, she could die."

"What about Mara?"

"Well, I'm not sure. She may not be a Dragon Sister herself. I'm not exactly sure where she would come in. Dragon Sisters aren't very social and hardly ever travel with one another."

Merlin considered all of this. "Are they dangerous?"

"Hmm, that depends on what their intentions are. And Merlin, since they are so closely related to the dragon, you are able to control them. I have no idea how powerful Carnation and Mara are, but you might be able to if they are weak enough."

Merlin shrugged. "Well, it's worth a try." He sighed. "I'll get to that as soon as I'm done with my chores."

…

Merlin was mucking out the stables when he heard something behind him. He glanced over his shoulder. It was dark out, but he could still see well enough. Right now, he saw nothing out of the ordinary. He shrugged and resumed working. A few minutes later, he heard another noise, this time closer. He froze, then slowly began to work again.

Suddenly, something heavy landed on his back, and he was thrown to the floor. Merlin felt a sharp pain in his back, like he was being slashed over and over again with a knife. He tried to fight it, but it was too heavy. He was picked up by the scruff of his shirt and thrown against the wall of the stables, and he went unconscious.

A dark figure stepped into the stables and knelt beside him. _Interesting_, the person thought. This could be useful. The stranger murmured a few words, and with a flash of gold in the eyes, the wounds on Merlin's back closed. The figure stood and left, followed by a mangy looking shadow.

**AN: Dun. _Dun. DUN! Cliffhanger!_ I hope it was cliffhanger enough for you to keep reading! Please Review! Yes I love exclamation points!**


	8. Chapter 8

_Chapter 8_

_Arthur POV _

It was the late evening. Arthur had just finished dinner, and he was now waiting for Merlin to come and help him prepare for bed. Where was that useless excuse for a servant? He had never been late before. Why start now?

Someone knocked at the door, and Arthur huffed. "Finally," he murmured. Then he paused. Knock? Merlin never knocked! He stood and opened the door. Mara was standing outside his door, her hands folded in front of her.

"Hello, Mara," Arthur said, a bit surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to apologize for running off earlier," Mara said. "It was very rude, and I should not have done it."

Arthur waved off her apology. "Don't worry. Everyone gets nervous around my father. And I don't blame you. He can be a bit scary at times."

Mara smiled. "Yes. Carrie is even a bit afraid of him, but she won't say it."

"Carnation is quite a character," Arthur said. "She's so calm and easy to be around. I doubt she's ever gotten angry before!"

Mara's smile disappeared. "Oh, no. She's been angry before."

Arthur looked at his feet in embarrassment. "Oh. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you, I apologize-"

"No, it's okay," Mara said quickly. "You didn't offend me. It's just…I only know of one time that Carrie got angry. And it did not end well."

She went quiet, and Arthur shifted uncomfortably. He didn't know whether or not he should say anything, but he was saved as Merlin stumbled uneasily towards them looking very confused.

"Merlin!" Arthur exclaimed. "Have you been drinking?"

"Of course not, Arthur, you know how I feel about-" He stopped, and he just stared at them.

"I know how you feel about what?" Arthur pressed.

"What?" Merlin asked. "What are you talking about?"

"You were saying something, and then you just stopped," Arthur said slowly, like he was talking to a very young child.

Merlin scowled. "C'mon, Arthur, you're-" He stopped again.

Arthur glared at him. "Alright, Merlin, just how much did you drink?"

"I haven't been drinking," Merlin said. "What would make you think that?"

Arthur sighed and shook his head. "Do you really think I'm that much of an idiot, Merlin? Look at you! You can hardly stand, and you've got that moonfaced expression on your face."

"He hasn't been drinking," Mara said. "He doesn't smell like beer, and his eyes aren't red. No," she murmured. "He's had a concussion. He needs to be taken to Gaius, right now."

"I feel fine," Merlin grumbled.

"Well, you're not fine, so you need to go to Gaius," Mara said firmly. She pushed him in the direction of Gaius' chambers, then stopped, looking confused. "Merlin? Why are there slash marks in the back of your shirt?"

"What are you talking about?" Merlin demanded.

"Look, Arthur," Mara said, pointing to the slices in the back of Merlin's shirt. "It looks like claw marks."

Her eyes widened. "Gaius. Now."

She grabbed Merlin's arm and began to drag him to the physician. Arthur watched them go, feeling very confused.

"Wait, what's going on?" he called. "Mara, I need Merlin right now. Mara?"

_Gaius POV_

When Mara burst through the door, dragging a very confused looking Merlin behind her, Gaius assumed the worst. His first thought was that Merlin had been discovered. Then he saw Merlin's expression.

"What's going on?" Gaius demanded. "What's wrong with Merlin?"

"He's had a concussion, but that's not the worst of our problems!" Mara proclaimed.

Gaius was startled. "But…a concussion is a very serious injury!"

"They attacked him!" Mara cried. "They came into the city and attacked him! We thought they wouldn't but they have and now we're all going to die!"

"Calm down, Mara," Gaius soothed her. "Tell me what's going on, and do it slowly. Try not to freak out, alright?"

Mara inhaled slowly. "Okay. The hounds got into Camelot. I don't know how, but they have, and now they've attacked Merlin and he got a concussion and can't remember what happened and Arthur thinks he's drunk but he really isn't and where is Carrie she needs to be here I-!"

"MARA!" Gaius shouted. "Calm yourself!"

"How can I calm myself when I'm going to DIE?" Mara screamed.

"Mara, what's wrong?"

Carnation had just entered the room. She was deathly pale, and there was a smudge of blood on the corner of her mouth.

"The hounds are here!" Mara screamed. "He's coming, he's going to find us and we're all gonna die!"

"Mara, calm," Carnation said, startlingly calm herself. Surprisingly, Mara immediately went slack and fell into a chair, looking exhausted. "We're not going to die. We must remain calm, and we will figure out what we're going to do."

"Carnation what's going on?" Gaius demanded.

"I will not tell you anything until you check on Merlin," Carnation said. "He is in need of your medical attention."

Gaius did not argue, and he began to tend to Merlin. He gave him a medicine to help with the concussion and another to help boost his memory. Then he turned to Carnation.

"Alright. Now will you tell me?"

Carnation took a deep breath. "Alright. I'd best start at the beginning.

"I'm sure by now that you know what I am: a Dragon Sister."

"Um, just one thing," Gaius said. "Anyone can pretend to be a Dragon Sister. I need you to prove it to me that you really are."

Carnation nodded in understanding. She grabbed a knife from the table and cut a slit in the left hip of her dress. She pulled it up, revealing the tattoo of the Great Dragon. Gaius was quiet, closing his eyes.

"I see," he said eventually, his voice shaking a little. "No one could fake that." He gestured for her to continue.

"I met Mara when she was just a young enchantress almost sixty years ago," Carnation began. "Her family was dead, and she had no friends to take her in. I found her in the Forest of Ascetir, inches from death. When she was well again, I offered her the choice of becoming my apprentice. She agreed, and her life was bound to mine. Only when I died would she die, unless she was killed. Since then, we have never been apart, and I have taught her all of the ways of the Sisters.

"When Uther banned magic from Camelot, we fled to Cenred's kingdom, where we would be safe. For twenty-four years we lived there peacefully. We would jump from city to city so that no one would question why we were not aging. We didn't stay in more than one village for a year, but we were happy. Then, Loic the bounty hunter found us three weeks ago. He doesn't know what I am, but he knows that we have magic, and that we are powerful. He has been chasing us ever since. The hounds are his tracking tools. That's why they did not kill Mara when you first found us."

"So you're on the run from bounty hunters and you came to Camelot," Merlin repeated. "No offense, but that wasn't the wisest move."

Mara shook her head. "We did not know where we were going. All we knew was that we must stay out of his hands. I see now that Loic was herding us here. That is why we must leave now, before he enters Camelot and turns all three of us in."

"All three?" Merlin echoed. "What do you mean?"

"The hounds have been trained to smell magic," Carnation said. "If one attacked you, it will definitely report you to Loic, and he will turn you in with Mara and me."

Merlin grinned. "Yeah, well. I doubt Uther will believe him. I've been accused of magic so many times that I don't think the King will even consider executing me."

"Don't be so confident, Merlin," Carnation warned. "Mara and I believe that Loic is a sorcerer. He is very…persuasive. None of his victims have ever escaped execution before."

"He has been causing the sickness in Camelot," Mara added. "He's been trying to weaken me and Carrie, but we made sure to take precautions before we entered Camelot. No magic can be performed on us harmfully for now."

Carnation began to cough again. This time, she didn't stop for nearly five minutes. Gaius stood up.

"Alright, Carnation," he said sternly. "It's time for you to stop taking that potion."

Carnation shook her head, grimacing in pain. "No. If I stop, I'll turn back, and Uther will find out. Mara and I are leaving soon anyways, and I'll soon stop."

"If you don't stop, you're going to die," Gaius snapped.

"Better I die keeping my secret than by Uther's hand," Carnation gasped, coughing again.

Gaius glanced at Merlin. "It's time to try."

Merlin nodded and turned to Carnation. In the language of dragons, he ordered her to stop taking the potion.


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter 9 _

_Merlin POV_

Merlin waited for Carnation's reaction. She was silent for a very long moment.

"That doesn't work on me, Merlin," she said at last.

Merlin was shocked and confused. She had spoken in the language of dragons. "But… why didn't it work? Gaius said it would." He still spoke in the dragons' tongue.

"It only works on a few of the weaker Dragon Sisters," Carnation told him. "We are related to the dragon just distantly enough that a Dragonlord does not have affect on us all. All of us can speak as a dragon does, though. It is one of our many gifts."

Merlin glanced at Mara. "What about her? Can she understand us?"

"No," Carnation said. "Dragon tongue is one thing that cannot be taught. You are born with the gift, or you are not."

Merlin nodded. He didn't know what to say, so he kept quiet.

"We must prepare to leave now," Carnation said, this time in the human language. She coughed several times.

Gaius, who had been dazed for a moment, looked at her grimly. "How do you plan to get out of here? You cannot just go to the King, say you're sorry, and leave. He would be greatly offended, and I did not give him a comfort potion this morning."

"You're leaving tomorrow anyways," Merlin said. "Why not stick with that plan? It's not like much can happen overnight."

Carnation and Mara glanced at each other, and Merlin guessed that they were somehow discussing the matter within that one look. Then Carnation nodded.

"Very well," she said. "Wake us before dawn if we are not already awake, please."

Merlin nodded. He was about to say something when there was a knock on the door. It opened, and Gwen stuck her head in.

"I'm sorry to intrude," she said, "but Merlin, Arthur needs you."

Merlin jumped. "Oh, no! Arthur! And I didn't even finish all my other chores!"

_Carnation POV_

Carnation woke just before dawn the next morning. All was quiet and still now, but she had thought she had woken because of the sound of hoof beats outside. She quickly got up and ran for a window. The sight nearly stopped her heart.

Riding towards the castle was Loic the bounty hunter and his pack of hunting hounds.

Carnation shook Mara awake. "Mara! Hurry and wake up. He's here!"

_Merlin POV_

Merlin, Mara, and Carnation made plans to sneak out of the castle by dressing the two girls as servants. Merlin would have no trouble getting away, seeing as how he left Camelot every few days to collect firewood. While Gaius prepared supplies for their escape, Merlin tended to Arthur. He wanted to say good bye to him and Gwen before he left.

"You're looking very solemn today, Merlin," Arthur said as Merlin served him his breakfast. "I have a feeling it has something to do with our guests leaving today."

Merlin shrugged. "Not at all."

Arthur sighed. "Is it because I dumped water on your head when you came in late last night?"

"Of course not. You do it often enough that it doesn't really bug me anymore."

Arthur grinned mischievously. "Oh, really? Well, then, I'll have to find something new, won't I?"

"Probably not," Merlin said. "Will that be all, sire? I have a lot to get done."

"What's the rush?" Arthur asked, confused. "But okay. Oh, and we have a visitor. Some bounty hunter, I'll need you in the Throne Room in the next hour. I'll probably send someone to find you when you're needed."

Merlin nodded. "Alright. Good bye, Arthur."

He left, Arthur staring confusedly after him.

…

Merlin was heading for his chambers to get his axe. He needed to look like he was getting firewood when he left the city. He was nearly there when he saw a strange man in a dark cloak walking down the hall. He began to panic. Was it Loic?

The strange man stopped as Merlin went by him. "Wait, boy." Merlin froze. "Which way to the Throne Room, do you know?"

Merlin turned around. "Yeah, it's just down that hall and to the left. After that, keep going straight and you should come upon it."

The man smiled coldly. "Thank you."

He turned and walked away. Merlin hurried up to his and Gaius' chambers.

"We need to hurry," he said as he entered. "Loic's going to the Throne Room."

Gaius looked up. "They've gone to Gwen's. They said to meet them there, and you'll leave together from there." He blinked rapidly and looked away.

"Gaius, I'm only going to be gone for until Loic leaves," Merlin said. "I'll be back sooner than you think."

The door suddenly burst open, and Gwen and Mara ran in carrying Carnation. The Dragon Sister looked like she was dead, but her coughing told them otherwise. Gaius yelled at them to put her on the bed, and they did so. Carnation shuddered and coughed, blood leaking from the corner of her mouth. Gaius fumbled around in his medicines, trying to find a medicine to help her.

"What are we going to do?" Mara cried. "We can't leave with her in this condition. We'll die for sure!"

"Mara, it's okay," Gwen soothed her, looking confused. "Gaius will help her."

Carnation gasped and wheezed, looking wildly around for Merlin. "Merlin. You have to go, you have to. You can't risk-" She screamed in pain and coughed violently. "Take Mara with you. Look after her once we're-"

"Carrie, stop talking, you'll be fine," Gaius said. "You can't be summoned to court like this. I won't let him."

Carnation gave a harsh laugh, just to burst into a fit of coughs again. "Uther will do as he pleases. I will be summoned. Now, go! Merlin you must-"

"What's going on?" Gwen demanded as Carnation broke off again. "What's she talking about? Are you three in some kind of trouble?"

"No, Gwen, just don't worry," Merlin said. "Could you fetch some water, please?"

Gwen nodded slowly and left.

No sooner had she left did there come a knock on the door. Gaius called for them to come in, and a guard entered.

"Uther wishes Mara, Carnation, and Merlin to be present in the Throne Room," he said. "Immediately."

Mara looked horrified at Merlin. They glanced at Gaius, who sighed.

"You had better go," he said, then turned to the guard. "Tell the King that Carnation is not well and cannot come."

The guard hesitated. "The King said not to come back until I had collected all three of them."

Gaius looked stormily at him. "Then you'll be gone a long time. Carnation is in no condition to be moved."

"No, Gaius," Carnation gasped, sitting up. "I can manage."

She struggled to her feet, leaning on Merlin and Mara. Then they followed the guard to the Throne Room and their undeniable doom.

**Not very long, but I didn'r want to rush it. Please review! **


	10. Chapter 10

**This one was hard to write. I kept erasing and rewriting and rewriting it. I hope that the final draft turned out well! Owl Watcher **

_Chapter 10_

_Arthur POV_

Arthur was shocked to see Merlin and Mara carrying Carnation, who looked like she could die at any second. Why on earth had they brought her? She should be resting, not standing before the court. And all because the bounty hunter wanted to speak with her and Mara.

"Father, she should not be here," Arthur murmured to the King. "She is unwell."

"Silence, Arthur," Uther snapped. Arthur was now confused. He only saw his father like this when someone was about to be accused of magic and sentenced to death. But he couldn't possibly suspect Carnation and Mara. It just wasn't possible. It would be like Merlin having magic, and there was no way that buffoon could have magic.

Merlin bowed before the King and Mara curtsied, both being careful not to hurt Carnation in the process. Uther glared at them.

"Loic has told me something very interesting," Uther said quietly. "He said that he has been following you two for the past three weeks. That his hounds were trying to capture you."

Arthur was startled. "Those hounds were his? But they've been terrorizing the people!"

"They have been hunting for the sorceresses," Loic said in a greasy voice. "They sometimes get a little…carried away, and it becomes difficult to control them."

"Mara and Carnation, you are accused of being sorceresses," Uther announced. "Do you deny these accusations?"

"A sorceress?" Mara looked and sounded truly offended. "Absolutely not! How dare he accuse us of being sorceresses?"

"You deny that you practiced magic?" Uther questioned.

"What makes you ask that?" Mara asked. "I denied being a sorceress."

Arthur was confused by her words, as was his father. What did she mean? Being a sorceress was the same thing as practicing magic, wasn't it?

"What exactly are you saying, that you have practiced magic?" Uther asked.

Mara nodded. "Yes."

"Then you are a sorceress," Uther said irritably.

Mara flushed angrily. "Enchantress! There's a big difference, you know. Even you shouldn't be unaware of that, Uther."

"When it comes to magic, there are no differences," Uther said dryly.

Loic cleared his throat. "Actually, Your Majesty, there is a bit of a difference. For instance, there is Mara's case. Instead of a sorceress, you can have an enchantress or a witch. In the case of a sorcerer, you can have a warlock or a Dragonlord. I myself am not quite sure what the differences are between them, but I have heard many magical people get offended when these details were mixed up."

Uther glared at him. "Thank you, Loic." He turned back to Mara. "You are under arrest. You shall be executed at dawn tomorrow. Guards! Seize her!"

Mara made no struggle as the guards grabbed hold of her. Instead, she carefully transferred the rest of Carnation's weight to Merlin and quietly came with the guards to the dungeons. Arthur thought over her reaction. Normally, a person convicted of sorcery was screaming and fighting against the guards while they were being dragged to the dungeons. Why wasn't Mara trying to escape? Now that her magical abilities were revealed, she could use them against the guards and easily get away.

Uther soon moved on, not noticing anything strange about Mara's reaction. Next he turned to Carnation, who appeared to be unconscious. He decided to wait a moment before moving to her, and instead turned to Loic.

"You said that you had something to announce before the court," he said. "Now would be a good time."

Loic smiled. "Thank you, sire." He faced the people in the room. "Last night, one of my dogs smelled a strong trail of magic. He started to run away from my camp, and I pursued him. Soon, we came upon Camelot. I don't know how we got into the city. The guards must have fallen asleep." Arthur saw a couple guards in the back of the room glance at each other and whisper. "When I finally was able to catch up to my dog, he was attacking a young boy in the stables. I called for him to stop, and he obeyed. I could tell from the way Saar was growling that the boy had magic. However, I did not take him with me back to my camp, feeling that that would be too much like abduction."

Arthur gave him a queer look. "But you abduct people all the time, don't you? Why would it be so hard to take this one boy."

Loic shifted, and for a moment Arthur thought he had stumped him. Then the bounty hunter recovered and said, "The boy had a lot of magic. I was afraid that if I took him, he would easily escape, and then His Majesty would have a very powerful sorcerer on the loose. I thought it best to expose him here so that he could not get away."

Uther nodded. "A very wise move. I thank you for your consideration. Do you know who it was?"

Loic's smile broadened. "Oh, yes." He pointed at Merlin. "It is that boy."

Uther sighed. "Loic, there must be some mistake. Marlin-"

"Merlin," Arthur corrected him.

"-has been accused of magic many times," Uther said. "However, everyone has failed to provide sound evidence that Marlin-"

"Merlin!" Arthur corrected him sharply.

"-does indeed have magic," Uther finished.

Loic smiled understandingly. "I see, sire. But I do have a way of revealing him."

Uther raised his eyebrows doubtfully. "Yes? Then by all means, do reveal him."

Loic bowed. "Thank you, sire." He pulled a candle from his pocket. "This is candle was made to reveal sorcerers. There is something in its smoke that causes the magic inside someone to just burst forth. I suggest you all stand back."

Everyone within five feet of Merlin and Carnation backed up. Loic walked over to them and lit the candle. He held it very close to Merlin's nose.

"Now, inhale deeply," he said softly.

Merlin hesitated, then he inhaled.

Nothing happened. Loic narrowed his eyes at Merlin, obviously confused.

"As you can see, Merlin is completely clean of magic," Arthur said dryly. "Thank you for wasting our time."

Loic turned to him, smiling. "Ah, but sire! You see, Carnation here is also very strong in magic. I am surprised that she did not burst forth any magic, even of Merlin did not. I have a feeling that one of them used magic to keep the smoke away, and seeing as how Carnation is unconscious, it can only have been one person."

Carnation suddenly raised her head a little. "I'm not-unconscious. Just-relaxed."

She sounded completely out of breath, but Arthur did not hear her breathing heavily. Loic looked a little annoyed.

"Well, Loic, it seems as though Carnation was either protecting herself or both herself and Merlin," Uther said. "How will you prove it was either one of them?"

Loic smiled. "We'll separate them, of course. If they are in separate rooms while the other is being tested, we'll have our evidence."

Uther nodded. "Very well. Guards, take Carnation outside."

"Oh no!" Carnation suddenly whispered, her eyes wide in terror. She turned her head to Merlin. "Put me down-now!"

Merlin did as she instructed and stepped back. Carnation lay sideways on the ground, very still. Then Arthur began to notice something. Her skin was getting bumpy, and her eyes began to change. Within moment, she was covered in scales, her eyes were reptilian, and a thin lizard's tail trailed out behind her.

A stunned silence came over the room. Uther sat staring at the strange creature, and even Loic was surprised at her sudden transformation. Carnation stood, swaying unsteadily. She glanced around at the court, looking as frightened as she had the day Arthur had found her in the forest.

Uther was the first to recover. Of course, the first thing he did was shout for the guards to take her to the dungeons. Then he decided to have Merlin arrested, too. In a swift movement, Carnation grabbed a hold of Merlin and fled from the room.

**Please review and tell me what you thought! **


	11. Chapter 11

**We're nearing the end! I don't think that this is the last chapter, though. Enjoy! **

_Chapter 11_

_Merlin POV_

Merlin hardly realized what was happening until they suddenly stopped. Carnation had dragged him from the castle, out of the city, and all the way to the Forest of Ascetir, all in the blink of an eye. She released his arm and he stumbled forward.

"What about Mara?" Merlin asked. "We have to help her."

Carnation nodded. "I have a feeling that Uther will hurry up her execution now that you and I have escaped. We must think up a quick plan and rescue her immediately. I know of a secret passage into the dungeons that we can use to break her out."

Merlin grinned. "Secret passage? How do you know about it?"

Carnation laughed halfheartedly. "Merlin, I was there when the castle was built. I myself assisted in its creation."

"Oh." Merlin blinked. Carnation smiled slightly before continuing.

"When we get into the dungeons, I'll pick the locks and you'll watch out for the guards," she said. "Try not to use magic, just in case you are seen, and then you'll never be able to return to Camelot."

"Wait, I thought that I'm already toast," Merlin interrupted.

Carnation shook her head. "I'll find a way to clear your name. What?" she asked at Merlin's doubtful look. "I know how to clear people's name without lying. Now we should leave, before it's too late."

_Arthur POV_

Arthur couldn't tell who was angrier, his father or the bounty hunter. Uther was furious that both Carnation and Merlin had escaped, and Loic was furious that he had lost two bounties. As for Arthur, he didn't know what to think. He wasn't sure whether or not to believe that Merlin had magic. He was leaning towards Merlin having magic. Why else would Carnation have taken him with her? But then, Carnation was a compassionate…whatever she was. She could have just taken him because he was her friend and didn't want him to die.

The Throne Room doors opened, and Gaius entered. Uther had called him in to decipher what sort of creature Carnation was. Gaius was carrying several thick volumes under his arm as he waddled towards the throne. He bowed to the King.

"Gaius," Uther greeted him stiffly. "Do you know what that creature was?"

"I'm not sure, my lord," Gaius panted, putting the books down. "I will need you to describe it to me more thoroughly."

"She had green scales, reptilian eyes, and a tail," Uther recalled. "That's all I really noticed."

Gaius nodded, flipping through the pages of the oldest book. He stopped near the middle and examined a blurry sketch. He nodded to himself, then looked up at the King.

"It appears that Carnation is a Dragon Sister, sire," Gaius reported.

Arthur blinked in confusion. "A what?"

"A Dragon Sister," Gaius repeated. "They are ancient creatures thought to have died out a very long time ago."

"What are their weaknesses?" Uther asked.

Gaius skimmed the pages of the ancient book. "I cannot find any, sire."

"What are they like?" Arthur asked. "Their characteristics and such."

"Hmm. They are very compassionate. They treat everyone as equals, and they never show their true emotions. They hardly ever get angry, but they are very chaotic when they are. They are closely related to the dragon."

Arthur recalled what Mara had said: "I only know of one time that she has been angry. And it did not end well." Whatever had gotten her angry must have truly been awful.

"Closely related to the dragon, you say?" Uther said. "Too bad all of the Dragonlords are dead. One would have come in handy right about now."

Gaius shook his head. "It says only weak ones can be controlled by a Dragonlord, so it may not have worked anyways."

"Father, why don't we just leave her be?" Arthur suggested. "It doesn't sound like she's a threat to the kingdom."

"You heard what Gaius said," Uther snapped. "They are chaotic."

"When they're angry," Arthur reminded him. "And Gaius also said that they hardly ever get angry."

Uther glared at him. "She is a creature of magic, so therefore she is a threat to the kingdom. If you think otherwise, you will keep those thoughts to yourself."

Arthur stood. "Very well. I shall."

He stalked from the room, shooting his father one last resentful look.

…

Arthur didn't know why he went to see Mara. Maybe he waned to ask her about Carnation. Whatever the reason, he found himself standing before the guards and demanding to speak with the prisoner. The guards let him through a bit hesitantly, but he was allowed passage nonetheless.

Mara was sitting in the corner of her cell with her legs folded to her chest, her chin resting on her knees. Her right eye looked swollen, like someone had punched her, and her arms had several scratches on them. She didn't even glance up when he entered her cell.

"What do you want?" Her voice was emotionless, and her eyes were glazed over like she was in a trance.

"I just wanted to talk to you," Arthur said slowly. Mara didn't respond, so Arthur continued. "Did you know Carnation is a Dragon Sister."

"Yes."

Arthur wasn't sure what to say next. He just stood there, feeling like an idiot.

Mara spoke suddenly, but her voice was too quiet for him to hear. He looked at her, but her position hadn't changed.

"Did you say something?" he asked.

"Your dungeons need cleaning," Mara whispered. "And you should leave some food out for the rats."

Arthur smiled. "Okay. I'll make sure to do that."

Mara looked up at him. "Promise?"

He nodded. "Promise."

Mara smiled weakly, then looked away. "Carrie isn't evil, you know. She saved my life, several times. She helped me through the loss of my family, and she made an oath to stand by me no matter what the cost."

Arthur realized what she was saying. "You mean that she's going to come for you." Mara nodded. "What do you want me to do?"

Mara laughed. "What I want doesn't matter. You must do what you believe to be right. And if that is letting me and one of the last Dragon Sisters die, then that is what you must do. Know that we will always have hope in you, no matter what your decision is."

She would not say more. Arthur left her in the same place he had found her, her eyes still glazed over as she stared at the walls of her cell.

_Merlin POV_

The lock to Mara's cell door clicked quietly, and Carnation nodded in satisfaction. She opened the door and began to work on Mara's chains. She picked with her claws, and soon the deed was done. Mara stood and hugged Carnation, a small tear sliding down her cheek.

Shouts came from the outer section of the dungeons. Merlin listened intently, trying to catch their words.

"-to bring the prisoner. It is time for her execution."

Merlin hurried over to his friends. "We need to get out of here. They're coming for Mara!"

Carnation led them to the hatch in the dungeon floor and opened it. Mara jumped in first, then Merlin, then Carnation. She closed it just as the guard came into the cell section of the dungeon. The three quickly ran down the passage, the guard's alarming shout fading away.

The passage ended out in a street near the castle. The alarm bells were going off, and Merlin could hear the guards running about. In the distance, he could hear Uther shouting.

"Show no mercy! Kill them on sight!"


	12. Chapter 12

_Chapter 12_

_Mara POV_

The three ran through the city. The only thought in their mind was to get away. They didn't even notice themselves pushing people out of their way and knocking down boxes of merchandise the people in Camelot were selling. The shouts of the soldiers behind them motivated them to keep going and not slow down their pace.

"Carrie, can't you get us out of here?" Merlin shouted.

"It only works with one person!" Carnation replied. "Two people is too heavy."

"Then take Mara and get out of here!" Merlin said.

"What?" Mara protested. "No. I anyone goes with Carrie, it'll be you, Merlin. You're far too important to be left to Uther's injustice."

Merlin had not time to argue as a spear went hurtling past them. Mara looked over her shoulder to see the soldiers gaining on them, their swords drawn and spears poised to throw. She thought wildly for a moment, then she stopped. She turned around and raised her hands, shouting a spell. A misty sheet appeared between her and the guards, deflecting their spears as they threw them at her.

"Mara, what are you doing?" Carnation shouted. "Get back!"

Mara shook her head. "I'll catch up with you. Go, now!"

Carnation hesitated, then she pulled Merlin away. Mara looked over her shoulder as they disappeared within the crowd of confused people. She turned back to the soldiers, who were trying to find a way around her shield. Several tried pushing on it, which failed, and they resulted to trying to throwing spears over it. However, it was much higher than they anticipated.

Mara heard something behind her and looked over her shoulder. Several guards were running at her, and one of them shot an arrow at her. Mara used one hand to throw up another shield, but it was too late. The arrow struck her in the back, and she tumbled forward onto the hard street. Her shield dropped, and the soldiers ran forward.

"I'll take her back to the castle," a familiar voice commanded. "You all continue forward, try to get the others."

There was much stomping of feet as the soldiers ran past Mara and after Carnation and Merlin. Some one drew Mara into their arms, and Mara gasped in pain as the arrow in her back shifted.

"Don't worry, you'll be fine," Arthur soothed her. "Gaius will take it out and heal the wound."

Mara shook her head. "No. I can feel-where it went in. Gaius won't-be able to-do anything."

"You don't know that," Arthur said gently.

Mara laughed, then stopped as she began to cough. "I've been-living with Carrie-for the past-sixty years. I think-I would know-a bit about medical things-seeing as how-she knows about everything."

She stopped. "Arthur…do you remember your-promise?"

Arthur nodded slowly. "Yes. I will. Don't worry."

Mara smiled. "Good. And Arthur…Tell Carrie-not to get angry. It was my pleasure-to stand by her. And Merlin…don't-"

She stopped, her eyes glazing over. Arthur bowed his head, his eyes closed to keep himself from crying. His father had done this. If he had just let them go…why didn't he let them go?

Mara suddenly felt light in his hands. He opened his eyes to see that she was no longer there. He looked around, then he spotted a tiny yellow flower growing between the cracks in the street. It was a carnation.

_Merlin POV_

They were hiding out by the walls of Camelot, waiting for Mara to join them, when the gates to the city opened and soldiers poured out. Merlin glanced at Carnation, whose expression was calm and accepting.

"Should we wait a little longer?" Merlin asked hesitantly.

Carnation nodded. "Yes."

They waited in silence for a long time, waiting. Then someone emerged from Camelot. Merlin peered closely to see who it was. His heart sank. It was Arthur.

Carnation stood from their hiding place and walked up to Arthur, and Merlin joined her. Arthur said nothing, but his look towards Merlin was slightly hostile.

"Why did you run?" he asked eventually.

"Your father was going to kill him unjustly," Carnation said kindly. "I am a creature of compassion, and I could not leave him to that fate."

Arthur nodded slowly. "Thank you." He paused. "Carnation. I'm sorry, but-"

"Mara is dead," Carnation said quietly. Merlin looked at her in surprise but said nothing.

Arthur looked away. "I'm very sorry. I didn't want it to happen, but an arrow was in her back. It went in very deep. She said…she said to tell you not to get angry. That it was a pleasure to have stood by you."

Carnation smiled. "I knew not to get angry. She would not have wanted it." She hesitated. "Did she…disappear?"

"Yes. And I found a little yellow carnation growing where she fell," Arthur said.

Carnation nodded, still smiling. "I thought she would choose that. Yellow carnations were her favorite flower." She glanced up at the sky. "It is time for me to be leaving."

"What?" Merlin protested. "Why? Can't you stay?"

Carnation shook her head. "This is no place for me right now. Not while Uther still rules. Perhaps I will return one day, when magic has returned to Camelot. Until then, I must live in a more magic-tolerant environment."

She smiled at Merlin. "Good luck, Merlin. You still have much to face. And…will you look after Mara's flower?"

Merlin nodded. "Of course."

Carnation turned to Arthur. "You will be a great King, but you still have much to learn. You must learn it quickly, and accept what you learn even if you don't want to. Good luck."

Then she did something that surprised both Arthur and Merlin. She put her hand to her heart and bent at the waist in a low bow. She straightened, smiled at them, and turned away. They watched as she walked away, slowly fading away into the distance.

Arthur sighed. "Now to face my father."

Merlin glanced at him. "Umm. Arthur…are you, you know…"

"No, Merlin," Arthur said wryly. "Don't worry. I don't think that you have magic. I would be a complete idiot to think so. Even my father is beginning to see that."

Merlin couldn't help but grin. "Yes."

Arthur turned to Camelot. "Alright. Let's go."

…

"WHAT?" Uther roared. "SHE GOT AWAY?"

"I'm sorry, Father," Arthur said through clenched teeth. "But I don't think she'll be back soon."

Uther just stewed for a moment, his face nearly purple with rage. "But that creature is on the loose! She could cause serious damage to Camelot."

"Father, why can't you just let it be?" Arthur snapped. "She didn't mean anyone any harm, and I don't think she performed any magic while she was here."

"You speak as though she was not evil," Uther said angrily.

"That's because Carnation was not evil!" Arthur growled. "She was just minding her own business, not even living in Camelot, when Loic decided that she would run at a good price. You have no right to call her evil!"

He turned on his heels and left the Throne Room, Merlin close behind. Merlin couldn't help but feel a little bit of hope at Arthur's words. Perhaps he was finally going to be able to tell the prince about his gifts.

"Magic causes more trouble than anything but you, Merlin, even if it isn't evil," Arthur snapped as they walked to his chambers.

Soon. Just not today.


	13. Epilogue

_Epilogue_

The guards looked down at the cloaked, hunchbacked man. "What business do you have here?"

"I've been ordered to clean here, sir," the man croaked, waving his broom.

"And the sack?" the other asked.

"My lunch, sir," the old man replied.

The guards stepped aside, and the old man walked past them. He disappeared into the cell room area, and they soon heard the sound of the broom against stone.

Arthur pulled off the cloak and stood up straight. Man, the dungeon guards were easy to fool. Anyone could sneak down there and break out any prisoners they had in the future. He began to sweep the dungeon floor, clearing away all the dirt and replacing the itchy hay with some soft blankets. It took several hours, and he got very dirty, but the dungeons were sparkling clean when he was finished. Now, there was only one thing left to do.

Arthur opened the sack. Inside was lots of bread, fruit, nuts, and a bit of dried meat. He placed the food onto the floor, hiding it a little so that the guards wouldn't notice. The rats would certainly not go hungry for a long time.

Arthur put the cloak back on and hobbled out of the cell room. He nodded to the guards as he passed them, and they gave him a disgusted look. Arthur grinned, imagining their faces if they knew who he really was.

He went to his chambers, where Merlin was changing his bed sheets. Merlin looked up and gaped.

"Arthur!" he exclaimed. "You're filthy! Where have you been?"

"Just shut up and draw me a bath," Arthur sighed. "I smell awful. Oh, and I'll need some help finding a different way into the dungeons. One that doesn't involve the guards."

"What were you doing in the dungeons?" Merlin asked.

Arthur looked at the yellow carnation that sat in a pot on his windowsill. "Fulfilling a promise to an old friend."

**The End**


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